San Diego Management & Monitoring Program

Five Year Site Occupancy, Nesting Success, Movement Behavior, and Genetic Structure of Golden Eagles in Western San Diego County, California

Vertebrate Species Five Year Site Occupancy, Nesting Success, Movement Behavior, and Genetic Structure of Golden Eagles in Western San Diego County, California

in progress

Project description

The status of golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in coastal southern California is unclear. To address this knowledge gap, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in collaboration with local, State, and other Federal agencies began a multi-year survey and tracking program of golden eagles to address questions regarding habitat use, movement behavior, nest occupancy, genetic population structure, and human impacts on eagles. Golden eagle trapping and tracking efforts began in September 2014. During trapping efforts from September 29, 2014, to February 23, 2016, 27 golden eagles were captured. During trapping efforts from February 24, 2016, to February 23, 2017, an additional 10 golden eagles (7 females and 3 males) were captured in San Diego, Orange, and western Riverside Counties. Biotelemetry data were collected between November 22, 2014 and February 23, 2016. Biotelemetry data for 26 of the 37 golden eagles that were transmitting data from February 24, 2016, to February 23, 2017 are presented in the reports. These eagles ranged as far north as northern Nevada and southern Wyoming, and as far south as La Paz, Baja California, Mexico.
For more information on this study, please visit the USGS website: https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/ds994 .